1. Welcome to the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Learning Module Series
Liv Haselbach Quinn Langfitt
For current modules or visit cem.uaf.edu/CESTiCC
Acknowledgements:
CESTiCC Washington State University Fulbright

2. LCA Module Series Groups
Group A: ISO Compliant LCA Overview Modules Group α: ISO Compliant LCA Detailed Modules Group B: Environmental Impact Categories Overview Modules Group β: Environmental Impact Categories Detailed Modules Group G: General LCA Tools Overview Modules Group γ: General LCA Tools Detailed Modules Group T: Transportation-Related LCA Overview Modules Group τ: Transportation-Related LCA Detailed Modules
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LCA Module α1

3. Goal, Function, and Functional Unit
It is suggested to review Modules A1 and A2 prior to this module
Module α1
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LCA Module α1

4. Goal First component of an LCA following the requirements of ISO 14044
Analyst
Commissioner
First component of an LCA following the requirements of ISO 14044
Goal must state:
Intended use
Reasons for study
Audience
Whether comparative and disclosed to public
Helps form the basis for:
Scope definition
Methodologies used
Presentation of results
Not reviewable in the critical review
Inventory Analysis
Impact Assessment
Goal and Scope
Interpretation
Phases figure: ISO 14040
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LCA Module α1

5. Goal Statement Example
Introduction
The goal was to generate a quantitative environmental profile of the management system for all of the used oil generated in California. The results of the LCA, when combined with a closely integrated economic assessment performed by the economic contractor, will provide sufficiently broad information to be used by CalRecycle to fulfill its duties pursuant to Section (b) (1) (D), namely to provide suggestions to the Legislature regarding possible policy changes to promote increased collection and responsible management of used oil. The intended audience of the study is CalRecycle, all industries involved in and affected by the management of used oil generated in California, and the public at large. The results of this study are intended to be used in comparative assertions intended to be disclosed to the public.
Reason for
carrying out
Intended use
Intended audience
Public, comparative
Statement source: Geyer, R., Kuczenski, B., Henderson, A., Zink, T. (2013). “Life Cycle Assessment of Used Oil Management in California.” California Dep. of Resources Recycling and Recovery.
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LCA Module α1

6. Goal Statement Guides Analysis
Include definitions for technical terminology?
Public among intended audience
Include multiple scenarios covering different combinations of disposal techniques?
Intended use to provide info to legislature for policy development
Analyze general US impacts for other states to be able to use the data?
Carried out specifically to serve decision making in California
YES!
YES!
NO!
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LCA Module α1

7. Function What the product(s) or process(es) is designed to do
Often intuitive
However, function must be stated to make it unambiguous
Important to help define the system and functional unit
Generate Light
Transport People
House Students
Dorm: dci-engineers.com
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LCA Module α1

8. Functional Unit Definition
“Quantified performance of a product system for use as a reference unit.”*
*ISO 14044
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LCA Module α1

9. Functional Unit For 20 Million lumen-hours
Functional unit defines what quantity of the product’s function is achieved to cause the environmental impacts identified
Light bulb functional unit might be 1,000,000 lumen-hours of light
Bus functional unit might be 10,000 passenger-kilometer
Dormitory building functional unit might be house 200 students for one year
For 20 Million lumen-hours
Figure credit: U.S. Department of Energy. “Life Cycle Assessment of Energy and Environmental Impacts of LED Lighting Products.”
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LCA Module α1

10. Functional Unit
Quantity
Quality
Duration
Functional Unit
Some consider correct determination of functional unit the highest priority in LCA*
Must be “clearly defined and measurable”**
Especially important in comparative studies to ensure fair comparison
Value not particularly important
Unit is very important
Best to set functional unit before collecting data (though not required)
Can always change it later
Product life time should be considered later when applying functional unit
*Klopffer, W., and Grahl, B. (2014). “Goal and Scope Definition.” Life Cycle Assessment. **ISO Components description: Simonen, K. (2014). Life Cycle Assessment. Routledge, New York, NY.
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LCA Module α1

11. Functional Unit Example Statement
Situation: Comparing an LED, CFL, and incandescent bulb Example statement: The function of the compared product systems is to provide lighting in residential applications. The functional unit is defined to be twenty million lumen-hours of light, with a wavelength between nm, provided. This functional unit was chosen because lumen-hours is a common unit of cumulative illumination measurement, twenty million lumen-hours represents approximately one LED lamp’s illumination over its full life time, and the wavelength range represents visible light appropriate for home illumination.
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LCA Module α1

12. Functional Unit Choice not Trivial
Shopping bag comparing paper, plastic, and cloth
Functional unit could be to carry a certain volume or a certain weight of groceries a certain number of times (i.e. 5 kg of groceries on 10 trips)
Image sources: Plastic: thisoldhouse.com Paper: tumblr.com Cloth: nextshark.com
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LCA Module α1

13. Relating to the functional unit basis
Functional unit = 50,000 passenger-miles traveled
data based on how much of the function is accomplished
Collect input/output
Express inputs/outputs in terms of one unit of function
Multiply by value of functional unit
Image source: hrc.org
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LCA Module α1

14. Relating to the functional unit basis
Manufacture
1,000 lb steel per car which lasts for 100,000 miles at average occupancy of 1.5 persons
Use
Gaseous emissions:
20 lb CO2 per gallon of gas, which powers car for 28 miles w/ 1.5 pass
Brake/tire wear:
0.2 lb PM10 per miles w/ 1.5 passengers
Disposal
1,000 lb steel to be recycled per car
data based on how much of the function is accomplished
Collect input/output
Express inputs/outputs in terms of one unit of function
Multiply by value of functional unit
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LCA Module α1

15. Relating to the functional unit basis
Manufacture
1000 𝑙𝑏 𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑒𝑙 100,000 𝑚𝑖∗1.5 𝑝𝑎𝑠𝑠 = 𝑙𝑏 𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑒𝑙 𝑝𝑎𝑠𝑠∗𝑚𝑖
Use
Gaseous emissions:
20 𝑙𝑏 𝐶 𝑂 2 1 𝑔𝑎𝑙 𝑔𝑎𝑠 ∗ 1 𝑔𝑎𝑙 28 𝑚𝑖∗1.5 𝑝𝑎𝑠𝑠 =0.48 𝑙𝑏 𝐶 𝑂 2 𝑝𝑎𝑠𝑠∗𝑚𝑖
Brake/tire wear:
0.2 𝑙𝑏 𝑃 𝑀 𝑚𝑖∗1.5 𝑝𝑎𝑠𝑠 =2.2× 10 −6 𝑙𝑏 𝑃 𝑀 10 𝑝𝑎𝑠𝑠∗𝑚𝑖
Disposal
1000 𝑙𝑏 𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑒𝑙 100,000 𝑚𝑖∗1.5 𝑝𝑎𝑠𝑠 = 𝑙𝑏 𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑒𝑙 𝑝𝑎𝑠𝑠∗𝑚𝑖
data based on how much of the function is accomplished
Collect input/output
Express inputs/outputs in terms of one unit of function
Multiply by value of functional unit
02/2015
LCA Module α1

16. Relating to the functional unit basis
Manufacture
𝑙𝑏 𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑒𝑙 𝑝𝑎𝑠𝑠∗𝑚𝑖 ∗50,000 𝑝∗𝑚 =
𝟑𝟑𝟓 𝒍𝒃 𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒆𝒍
Use
Gaseous emissions:
0.48 𝑙𝑏 𝐶 𝑂 2 𝑝𝑎𝑠𝑠∗𝑚𝑖 ∗50,000 𝑝∗𝑚 =
24,000 𝒍𝒃 𝑪 𝑶 𝟐
Brake/tire wear:
2.2× 10 −6 𝑙𝑏 𝑃 𝑀 10 𝑝𝑎𝑠𝑠∗𝑚𝑖 ∗50,000 𝑝∗𝑚
0.11 lb PM10
Disposal
𝑙𝑏 𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑒𝑙 𝑝𝑎𝑠𝑠∗𝑚𝑖 ∗50,000 𝑝∗𝑚 =
𝟑𝟑𝟓 𝒍𝒃 𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒆𝒍
data based on how much of the function is accomplished
Collect input/output
Express inputs/outputs in terms of one unit of function
Multiply by value of functional unit
02/2015
LCA Module α1

17. Thank you for completing Module α1!
Group A: ISO Compliant LCA Overview Modules
Group α: ISO Compliant LCA Detailed Modules
Group B: Environmental Impact Categories Overview Modules
Group β: Environmental Impact Categories Detailed Modules
Group G: General LCA Tools Overview Modules
Group γ: General LCA Tools Detailed Modules
Group T: Transportation-Related LCA Overview Modules
Group τ: Transportation-Related LCA Detailed Modules

18. Homework Write a goal statement for a fictitious LCA of your choosing.
Find an LCA in a journal or online and examine its goal statement. Does it cover all necessary information as outlined in ISO 14044? Summarize the statements on the four points, or if any are not included state that.
Determine what functional unit should be used for an LCA comparing gasoline and ethanol production (hint: think energy). Explain your choice.
Consider the use stage of a life cycle assessment on an incandescent light bulb. Assume that the only flow within the system during that stage is the electricity needed to operate the bulb. The bulb consumes 1 kWh of electricity to produce 16,000 lumen-hours of light. Each kWh of electricity has the following simplified inputs and outputs to and from nature:
Inputs: kg coal
Outputs: 1.01 kg CO2, 1.60×10-3 kg NOx,1.22×10-2 kg SO2, and 9.26×10-6 kg PM10
Considering the functional unit is 20,000,000 lumen hours, convert the LCI data into the quantities of inputs and outputs based on the functional unit.
02/2015
LCA Module α1